Page 22 - Redditch People

Redditch People

Stock, the daughter of a wealthy Birmingham industrialist, in 1851 and when his father
died in 1860, he became head of William Bartleet and Sons.

Like many wealthy landowners of his time, he was immensely interested in the history of
his land and township and was a passionate antiquarian with a romantic enthusiasm for
all things medieval.. He also took a great interest in the moral welfare and progress of the
town of Redditch and its people. His chief interests were in education and in the active
encouragement of temperance and healthy living and he was a co-founder of the ‘Redditch
Land and Building Society’

The Fountain, at the northern end of the Church Green Gardens adjacent to St. Stephen's
Parish Church, was installed, at the expense of its donor Robert Bartleet, to celebrate the
coming of fresh water to the town. It was constructed by the Coalbrookdale Company to
a design suggested by Robert and was unveiled with great ceremony on 15th May 1883,
by his wife.

The town of Redditch, which Robert Bartleet called home, is also near the historic site of
Bordesley Abbey, which belonged to the Cistercian Order of Monks and was dissolved in
1538. The Bartleet needle factory in Arrow Valley overlooked the Abbey Meadows, where
the picturesque ruins of Bordesley Abbey can still be seen today.

In 1863, he excavated the ruins and commissioned an illustrated history of the Abbey
from noted scholar and tutor to his children, James Woodward. Woodward was instructed
to draw idealised illustrations of the Abbey in its pre-dissolution glory and produce a
history of the abbey from the findings made. Robert was enthusiastic to commence and
in his forward he says

“I was, however, anxious that it should be effected if possible, and, therefore, arranged
for a commencement of the attempt. This was made on a fine day in June, 1863, when,
accompanied by my Wife and eldest Children, the Vicar, and Mr. WOODWARD, and armed
with a luncheon basket, and the Rifle Corps' measuring cord, I proceeded to the Abbey
Meadows. There a pleasant afternoon was enjoyed in the fresh air and sunshine, time
passing quickly whilst marking out and measuring the ground plan.”

The book, ‘The History of Bordesley Abbey’ written by James Woodward, was published
in 1866.

Page: 22 © RLHS 2015